1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for the continuous preparation of starch milk with a dosing device for supplying the starch and a homogenising tank provided with an agitation mechanism.
The term, "starch milk" as used in this specification means a starch-water mixture of solution, which is also referred to as a slurry.
2. The Prior Art
On pages 351 and 352 of the journal "Die Starke", No. 11, Vol. 16, a method of preparing a homogeneous starch milk is described. In this instance the suspension was added in charges, and continuous operation was made possibly by two flotation tanks. The tanks were equipped with a high-speed propeller agitator. Screws with controlled rotary speed were used for dosing air-dry starch. On the cited pages it is stated that continuous preparation of starch milk was only of interest for larger capacities, and the problem of continuous preparation of starch milk was not therefore pursued further. Moreover, the starch in this known apparatus was introduced in doses without any special controls, as it was possible to maintain the liquid state by means of float valves. However, the surface is moved by the agitation mechanism, so that only a mean value can be sought for dosing the water. Although this system is adequate when using low concentrations, with special starches or higher concentrations of additive it is not possible to obtain sufficient accuracy or satisfactory solutions of the starch.
The present invention provides an improved apparatus which can be operated continuously and which is compact.